First Class Showdown: Emirates 777 Vs. Japan Airlines A350

Will have a chance to compare next week. I do prefer EK A380 shower to the Game Changer gimmicks.

Emirates if traveling alone, JAL if traveling with someone?

Picking between the two does seem a bit pointless, though since you’ll probably never have to choose between the two of them on the same route.

I prefer JAL over EK

I'm curious how well the temperature controls work on Emirates. Can anyone share insight? And regarding the virtual windows, how does it compare to the real thing? Does the sun shine right in your face, etc.?

Scarlett Johannsen or Natalie Portman - how could you decide who you'd prefer to give a big bunch of roses?

@ Mike O. -- The temperature controls work pretty well for making your space warmer, but not cooler. Fortunately the individual air nozzles can help with making the space feel cooler. As far as the virtual windows go, they're VERY realistic. I'd argue they're even better than the real thing, since you see everything outside, minus the glare, and you also don't feel any heat.

@ Julia -- Totally fair, the comparison is ultimately a theoretical exercise more than anything else. There are so many factors with picking an airline, but it's always fun to compare, nonetheless.

Does the A350 have air conditioning ? My 777 flight from DFW-HND was so hot a dumped my F class ticket back for American premium economy. Better than sweating and not sleeping anyway.

Based on what you’re saying it sounds like Emirates still gets the top spot due to caviar, flexible dining, unlimited Krug, on board bar (in biz section), etc. JAL sounds like a great #2. Just lacking a bit of the over the top insanity that makes Emirates a standout. You didn’t even mention the fake window they put in the middle seats which is pretty cool!

I’m one of those people who finds it very difficult to sleep if warm. In my experience on JL in both F and J, politely asking one of the FAs discreetly in the galley if they can lower the cabin temperature always results in at least a couple of degrees cooler. The saving face culture of the Japanese ensures they will at least honor your request at a bare minimum. In addition, I bought a small USB-powered Honeywell fan that works wonders for its size. It’s about the size of a paperback book.

I thought you dumped it for AA business? 😉

Actually what I did and suggested. Just ask.

At this stage you’ve flown the best of the best Taiwanese and Japanese products, all of which, except CI, rank among the finest in the world. The time has come for you to do a comparison post between the three major Taiwanese airlines and the two major Japanese airlines, and see which is best in each.

Specifically for ANA and JAL, while ANA has one of the world’s best J seats (beating the QR Qsuite in many areas), JAL has now introduced perhaps the world’s best new F product (beating the EK enclosed suite, as you point out). But EK and QR (and EY) are far more westernised airlines, and that reflects in their IFE and food selections. Among the Northeast Asian airlines, I find only CX to be highly westernised — as its magazine shows — while JAL and EVA and their ilk tend to have heavy language barriers at times, and their magazines and branding are similarly very bad at English.

That said, it will be a couple of years before the CX Aria Suite comes into the picture. There’s another Japanese F product you haven’t flown — not a very high-profile one, and only on one route, but still: the ANA A380. Would love to see you fly that some day! For me, it’s ANA > JAL.

My bad, the Aria Suite’s coming this year on the 777-300ER! I meant the 777X when I said a couple of years. Anyway, it’s time CX regained its lost shine and showed the world just how much it has missed out on Hong Kong’s lustre, when Taiwan and Japan have seemingly marched ahead!

Yes, he should try ANA A380 once... but I'm not sure whether do I agree with that ANA first class is better than JAL first class. The new JAL suites are definitely better - but I don't think ANA has anything outstanding compared to JAL. Beddings on JAL first class are better, they also have in-flight meals collaborated with famous luxury restaurants even for flights bound for Japan (ANA only does on flights departing from Japan, and I don't see JAL meals as bad, at least if you aren't a vegan) and so on. But still, ANA first class is one of the top 5 first class products out there.

Not really relevant, but I always wanted to know - do you "like" (or "helpful" for system terms) your own comment? I'm wondering why your comment always get a like while no other comments get one...

The interesting comparisons are the routes where there is competition.

For example, JFK-FRA-SIN, Lufthansa or Singapore Airlines?

"on board bar (in biz section)"

That only applies if you are comparing the A380 and the A350.

You meanie, I continue to find the fascination with Emirates ducking IFE. It’s so censored I believe they even dub a word over squat or darn. Duck that!

For me it’s JAL all day, everyday. The Japanese service, sensory cuisine, good wifi, and not patronizing a carrier that treats its employees like shit - I mean, squat - really make EK F a nothing burger for me. It’s like the Cheesecake Factory of first class while JAL is Georges V.

Since the airport experience is an important part of the first class journey, and Emirates's surprisingly poor in Dubai, I can't possibly see a world where Emirates leads that table ... thanks for all your cool work...

Never flown EK 777 F and probably never will as I much prefer a more open cabin as well as the bar and showers on the A380. Have flown JL F a dozen times and flying LHR HND next week for a certain concert in Tokyo!! Then flying HND DFW home. As much as I’d love to experience the new A350, I have no complaint about JL’s 777 F. It always is fabulous. I love the consistency of JL much like I love the consistency of LH F! Maybe that’s why I married a German who speaks Japanese?? 🙂

As a side note, I had a J seat booked on JL 5 for Feb 5 but canceled it before they announced the daily A350 in Feb as we decided to go the long way through LHR to see friends! Guess, I’ll never know if I would have kept the other flight to experience the new J product?? I suspect not as I still much prefer F for obvious reasons!

I like JL..LIKE not LOVE and that is because of the heat in the cabin. I ask the FA to lower the temp and they reply (with a smile) that it is 21 degrees. Yes... too warm and no gaspers.

I had to change the date :(. I don’t know why but Alaska didn’t have availability even though AA had business open for the day JL first still has seats!

That’s not even close ! SQ in all classes

The better way to Singapore is Trans pacific to avoid a double red eye.

My frustration with Emirates is that it’s just an excellent PR machine. You really don’t get what is advertised and they know how to get free or cheap advertising space for products that represent a tiny proportion of what they offer! And that’s not just the 777 First Class.

I guess Singapore Airlines Suites is still the best. Never considered Emirates Game Changer as one of the best. Could be top 3 but far cry from SQ. JAL personally I am not on it. Let’s see.

I didn’t say that ANA > JAL in first class, certainly not with JAL’s A350-1000, which is too extraordinary for anything that ANA has, and the A380 isn’t even ANA’s best product. Rather I’m comparing the airlines as such, and (having flown neither of them yet) I feel ANA is a bit more westernised and modernised with its branding and marketing, like the ‘This is Japan Elevated’ campaign it came out with a few years ago. That said, Northeast Asian airlines in general are very bad at typography, westernisation and English, with the exception of CX, which is exceptionally outstanding.

As far as liking my own comments is concerned, yes, you’re absolutely right there — I do ‘heart’ my own comments, not to increase my like count (no, that’s not my intention), but rather to be heard and seen, and not be drowned out amidst the crowd. I won’t overdo it, though!

Why no Singapore Airlines on this list? Or do you consider "suite class" separately, that seat and separate bed on their revised 380s look huge. I got to fly the the old one a few years back and even that was fantastic. What about ANA Room too?

Fair enough. To me, JAL seems like trying to keep their "heritage" or "pride" that they had back in the days, mainly before the collapse of economic bubbles in Japan, and this looks like the reason why JAL is relatively less westernised. Although because I'm not from the western world, I don't find it that bothersome, especially because I believe that Japanese hospitality could make up for it.

Westernisation (or whatever) is indeed poor on East Asian carriers, and CPA being exception is not a surpise since HK can also be considered as English-speaking region. Some of CJK carriers' brandings are so bad, that I suspect their logic is "the weird if is to the foreigners, the better" or something.

Self-liking the one's comment... for that reason I think it's alright. I mean, if you wanted more likes then you wouldn't be commenting here, I guess.

Lol. A five minute shower isn’t a gimmick? :)-

I’d probably agree with that, though flying out of FRA does give you access to the First Class Terminal if you’re on Lufthansa.

Agree Singapore Airlines topples all. The First Class back in A380 was already so much better than Game Changer from Emirates. I honestly didn’t enjoy the Room. I took NH159 and I felt is underwhelming.

One bottle of Salon is a major catfish.... almost fraudulent misrepresentation. #disqualification

Nope.

I've done Emirates A380 and 777. And JAL 350 last august. (I guess before their new first class).
Hands down the A380 was the best. Even when on an old A380, I preferred it to the other two. Probably because they were old too.
But I will get to try Singapore this summer.

CI is a pretty good product overall though? The gap between CI and its Taiwanese counterparts is smaller than the gap between CI and NA/EU carriers.

CI has slightly less refined soft product maybe, no PJs or anything. But the food and service is consistently great. Design wise, they have a gorgeous cabin and a fleet consistent seat, even if not cutting edge. Vastly better than playing the guessing games of dealing with equipment swaps like ME3 does all the time.

I choose Emirates 777-300ER first class. Because I like how they serve great food and drinks.